The Hobbit: An Unexpected Twist
by PirateShipForever69
Summary: Gender-Bender story. Belle Baggins is called on by Gandalf to help the dwarves reclaim their gold and Erebor from the dragon Smaug. ThorinxBilbo except Bilbo is a girl.
1. An Unexpected Meeting

The Hobbit fan-fiction with a twist: Bilbo Baggins is Belle Baggins. She is called on by Gandalf to go on a journey with thirteen dwarfs to reclaim Erebor and its gold from the dragon Smaug. ThorinxBilbo Gender-Bender fanfic. Movie-based. I do not own anything. Be nice and no flames.

So, I came up with the idea of this story when I read a Frodo/Sam romance where Sam was a girl (Frodo and Sam by Whispers of a Nameless fear, everyone should check it out) and then I saw The Hobbit for the third time and decided I really liked the idea of Thorin/Bilbo if Bilbo was a girl. So I decided to give it a whirl. Also, this is the first fanfiction I've acually ever posted, and I'm kind of freaking out about it and will probably never post something online ever again If someone is completely rude (Yeah I have issues). But I also figure anyone who a Hobbit fan can't be too bad, right?

I do not own The Hobbit (movie or book) nor do I own anything related to The Hobbit. Any quotes/lyrics not related to The Hobbit is not something I own either (unless I really did say/write it). **No flames. If you do not have something nice, positive, or constructive to say, don't say it.**

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This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected. He may have lost the neighbours' respect, but he gained - well, you will see whether he gained anything in the end.

-The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

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Belle Baggins had finished her breakfast of porridge, eggs, bacon, and biscuits earlier than usual and decided to spend the rest of the morning in the garden. A garden is very important to a hobbit seeing as it provides most of the vegetables that a hobbit will eat. If his garden is not top-notch, his food will not be top-notch, and food is very important to a hobbit.

And so that day, the day that changed Belle's life forever, she was in the garden, laboring over the weeds. Next to her sat a basket filled with the ripe vegetables that were ready to be stored in the pantry. As she brushed her dark brown, curly hair back begin her ear, Belle noticed the shadow of a person.

It was one of the Big People, wearing grey robes and a grey pointed hat. He was old, his hair and bread completely grey. He was leaning a walking stick.

" Good morning!" Belle said cheerfully. Ah, visitors, Belle thought. What a great way to start the day.

It is well known that every hobbit enjoys visitors.

"What do you mean?" The old man in grey asked her. "Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not? Or, perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning. Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on?"

Belle's good mood quickly diminished and was replaced by confusion. Being just a simple hobbit, she didn't understand half of what the old man had just said.

"Uh...all of them at once, I suppose."

The old man gave Belle a look of disappointment, making her even more bewildered. She had no idea what she had done to cause this man to give her such a look.

"Can I help you?" Belle asked, her brows furrowed.

"That remains to be seen." The old man raised an eyebrow. "I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure."

At the word 'adventure', Belle's head was filled with images of the horrible creatures the hobbits over the Hill and across the Water told tales of. Horrible creatures like orcs, goblins, and dragons. Tales filled death, pain, and loss. Things that were just the things that nice, simple hobbits like her had nightmares about.

"An adventure?" Belle gave out a bark of laughter. "Now, I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures. Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things. Make you late for dinner."

Belle got up off the ground and dusted the dirt off her dress. She opened the dingy looking mailbox and grabbed the mail, mumbling to herself as she flipped through it. The old man would not stop starring at her with his appraising stare, and now she was beginning to very uncomfortable. Belle decided to flee. She began up the stairs to her freshly painted, green door only to turn around.

"Good morning." It was clearly a dismissal.

"To think that I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took's daughter, as if I were selling buttons at the door."

That made Belle stop. How did this man know who she was when Belle was quite positive she had never told him her name.

"Beg your pardon?" Was all Belle could think of as a reply.

"You've changed, and not entirely for the better, Belle Baggins." The old man said as he crossed his arms.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Belle cocked her head, still frowning.

"Well, you know my name, although you don't remember I belong to it. I'm Gandalf! And Gandalf means…" He sighed. "Me."

"Gandalf..." Belle said slowly, the name bringing up long forgotten memories. "Not Gandalf, the wandering Wizard, who made such excellent fireworks! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve. Ha, ha! Well. Hmm, I had no idea you were still in business."

Belle's face went from that of happiness at the long forgotten memories to that of wonder. It truly amazed her that the man who had been so old so long ago was standing in front of her. To her, it was a wonder that he was still alive, although Belle did not say so. It was clear, however, by the look on Gandalf's face that he knew exactly what she was thinking.

" And where else should I be?" Gandalf challenged with a raised eyebrow.

" Well, um...hmmm." To avoid saying anything Belle went back to her garden and picked up her half-full basket of vegetables. She was once again on her way back into her house when once again Gandalf's words stopped her.

"Well, I'm pleased to find your remember something about me, even if it's only my fireworks." Gandalf gave her a distasteful look. "Well that's decided. It will be very good for you, and most amusing for me. I shall inform the others."

Belle's face contorted to that of shock and disbelief. Just the gall of this old man to suggest that she, a Baggins, be interested in going on an adventure.

"Inform the who? What? No. No. No! Wait. We do not want any adventures here, thank you. Not today, not-mm. I suggest you try over the Hill or across the Water." Just before entering her house she turned back, remembering her manners. She was, after all, a good hobbit. "Good morning."

She rushed into her house and then practically threw her basket of vegetables on the floor before turning back and sliding the door locks into place. Belle leaned against the door, sighing in the relief of not having to deal with Gandalf anymore. Than she heard a noise.

The noise sounded like a faint scratching sound. It seemed to be coming from the door.

Belle went to the tiny window that was next to the door and peered out. At first, she saw nothing. Then, Gandalf's face appeared, his eye appearing very large. Belle gave out a little squeal before turning and hiding behind a wall. She waited a few seconds, then went to look out a different window, only to see Gandalf hurrying away.

Belle sighed in relief and happiness at the thought of never dealing with Gandalf again.

* * *

It was a few days later when Belle was sitting down to a nice dinner of fish. Even though it was dark out, she could still hear the laughter and music coming from the Green Dragon. The moon was full and the crickets chirped; it was a fine night.

Belle had just finished cooking the fish so it was still nice and hot. She tucked her napkin into the top of her nightdress and began sprinkling salt into her food. She next began squeezing lemon juice onto the fish. Then, two sharp knocks came at the door.

Belle paused, cocked her head slightly to the side, a look of confusion appearing on her face. She hadn't been expecting visitors, especially this late. Belle frowned as just got up from her chair and answered the door. _I wonder who that could be,_ Belle thought.

Belle didn't know who she had been expecting. It could have been her disreputable relatives the Tooks or it could have been the tavern keeper. She would have expected the hateful Lobeila Sackville-Baggins (the hobbit who was always trying to take possession of Bag End) over who was at the door.

It was a dwarf. He was very stocky and intimidating looking. His bald head was covered in tattoos. He was dressed in black and carried weapons.

"Ah." Was all Belle could think to say. The dwarf bowed.

"Dwalin, at your service." Belle suddenly became aware that she was standing in front of this dwarf in nothing but her nightdress and robe.

"Belle Baggins, at yours." Belle said as she fumbled to tie her robe shut, her cheeks red. Dwalin pushed his way into her house without an invitation.

"So you are the one." Dwalin said with raised eyebrows. "Didn't expect you to be a woman."

"I-I beg your pardon?" Belle stuttered, feeling very flustered by the stranger in her house.

"Where is it, lassie? Is it down here?" Dwalin ignored her and dumped his things on the floor to Belle"s horror before turning back to face her.

" I-is what down where?" Belle felt like she was going to cry.

"Supper." The dwarf answered. "He said there'd be food and lots of it."

The words 'he said' immediately caught Belle's attention. This intruding dwarf couldn't be talking about Gandalf. Could he?

"H-h-he said?" It was very rare for a hobbit nowadays to get confused and angry at the same time, but here Belle was, barely able to get words out. "Who said?"

Dwalin ignored Belle and made his was to the dining room he spotted. The dwarf sat himself down in Belle's seat and began to help himself to her dinner. She stared at him open mouth, before sighing in defeat and sitting down in a spot behind Dwalin.

Some time latter, Dwalin had picked the fish Belle cooked clean. Without hesitation, he bit the fish head off and ate that too. Belle felt like vomiting.

"Mmmm... Very good, this. Any more?"

Belle's eyebrows shot up. The fish meal Dwalin just finished was a meal that would fill Belle's stomach, let alone want more afterwards.

"What? Uh, oh, yes, yes?" Wanting to be a good host, Belle reluctantly brought over a plate of biscuits, hiding one in her pocket.

"Help yourself." Belle said with a sad look on her face. Dwalin begins stuffing the biscuits into his mouth.

"Mmmmmm..." Belle started. "It's just that, um, I wasn't expecting company."

Before Belle got a response, there was a knock at the door. Belle looked up in alarm.

"That'll be the door." Dwalin said with a smile. Belle hurried to the door and opened it to find a short, old dwarf with a white beard and hair.

"Balin, at your service." The dwarf said bowing.

"Good evening." Belle said, trying not to appear flustered.

"Yes, yes it is," Balin turned to look at the sky. "Though I think it might rain later. Am I late?"

"Late for what?" Belle asked, confused as to what these strange dwarves thought was happening at her house. But Balin did not answer her unfortunately. He saw Dwalin behind her, trying to get more biscuits from a jar.

"Oh, ha ha!" Balin said loudly. "Evening, brother."

"Oh, by my beard, you are shorter and wider than last we met." Dwalin put his arms on Balin's shoulders with affection.

"Wider, not shorter." Balin corrected. "Sharp enough for both of us."

The brother dwarfs both laughed, a deep bass sound. They then gazed at each other for a moment before smashing their foreheads together. Belle grimaced before speaking up.

"Uh, excuse me; sorry, I hate to interrupt, ah, but the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house."

While Belle had been talking, Dwalin and Balin moved the pantry, where Belle kept a large supply of food. They were pouring ale and examining the food when Bell caught up.

Belle had never been more flustered and confused. Sure, she had had visitors before, even many visitors, but she had always known them beforehand. They had been other hobbits too. Hobbits, by nature, are very hospitable and generous. They are kind and most are not able to be rude easily. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule, the Sackville-Baggins being the one to this rule. And so, beginning the kind and gentle hobbit Belle was, she tried to these rude, intruding strangers to leave without actually being rude herself.

"Have you eaten?" Dwalin was saying to Balin.

"It's not that I don't like visitors; I-I like visitors as much as the next Hobbit, but I do like to know them before they come visiting." Belle said in a shaky voice. The two dwarves did not seem to hear her and continued to rifle through her pantry.

"Ah, that looks very nice indeed." Balin said picking a food item. Dwalin muttered something Belle wasn't able to quite hear. Balin picked up a lump of blue cheese.

"What's this?" Dwalin asked. Balin responded that he didn't know. Belle tried to speak up again.

"The thing is, um-" Belle started to say, but was cut off by Balin.

"It's gone blue." He said, still talking about the cheese.

"It's riddled with mold." Dwalin commented, looking disgusted. He then took the cheese from Balin and threw it on the floor past Belle.

"The thing is, um, I, I don't know either of you, not in the slightest." Belle said, speaking louder. "I don't mean to be blunt, but I uh, but I had to speak my mind. I'm sorry."

Both dwarves stopped their quest for food to stare at her.

"Hm." Balin said looking satisfied. "Apology accepted."

"Hmm?!" Was all Belle could get out.

"Ah, now fill it up, brother, don't stint. I could eat again, if you insist." Balin handed Dwalin a tankard to be filled with ale. In the background, Belle heard a knock on the door. When she answered it, she was greeted with the sight of two more dwarves. Belle let out a small whimper.

"Fili." The blond dwarf said.

"And Kili." The dark haired one said.

"At your service." They both said at the same time, both bowing.

"You must be the beautiful Ms. Baggins." Kili said with a flirtatious smile.

"Nope, you can't come in, you've come to the wrong house." Being a kind, generous hobbit be damned. She was done with dwarves. Belle tried to shut the door on them, but Kili stopped it with his foot, looking extremely worried.

"What? Has it been canceled?"

"No one told us." Fili cut in.

"Can-? No-nothing's been cancelled." Belle said, frowning.

"Well, that's a relief." Kili said with a grin. The dwarves pushed their way past Belle. Once through, both began unloading their items into Belle's arms.

"Careful with these, I just had 'em sharpened. I don't want such a pretty hobbit to get an ugly scar." Fili warned with a sly grin, handing Belle, who frowned, his sword and knives. Kili was behind him, looking around at the house.

"It's nice, this place. D'you you do it yourself?" Without waiting for an answer, Kili began scraping the mud off his boots on a small chest on the floor.

"Ah, no, it's been in the family for years." Bell said about the house but then catching what Kili was doing. "That's my mother's glory box, can you please not do that?!"

"Fili, Kili, come on, give us a hand." Dwalin said, suddenly appearing.

"Master Dwalin." Kili said, a huge smile on his face. The dwarves all laughed before making their way towards Belle's dining room.

"Let's shove this in the hallway, otherwise we'll never get everyone in." Balin said, gesturing towards the eating table.

"Ev-everyone? How many more are there?" Belle said, her voice trembling. She did not care at this point that they were moving her furniture around.

"Where do you want this?" One of the twins asked Balin about the table. Once again, a knock sounded at the door, louder and knocking than before. Belle spun around and began stomping towards the door in anger. The equipment she was still holding was dumped on the floor on the way.

"Oh no. No, no! There's nobody home. Go away, and bother somebody else." Belle declared in her anger. "There's far too many dwarves in my dining room as it is. If- if- If this is some clotterd's idea of a joke, ha ha, I can only say, it is in very poor taste."

Belle yanked open the door and a heap of dwarves, eight to be exact, poured onto the floor in front of her. They all began struggling to get up, grumbling and yelling at each other to 'get off!'. Behind them, stood Gandalf.

"Gandalf." Belle sighed in defeat.


	2. Of Dwarves And Burglars

I do not own The Hobbit or anything related, yada yada yada. If I owned The Hobbit, I guarentee I would not be worrying how to pay for college and all that jazz at the moment. I would also know the entire Hobbit cast, another plus. One can dream.

Once again, be nice. (p.s. sorry for any errors like misspells, left out a word, used wrong word, or something like that. Just inform me, however one is supposed to do that, and I will get on fixing it.)

(p.p.s. If you have an account on Wattpad, please become my fan and favorite this story, which is also posted there. My username is bassclarient_girl. If you'll notice, the clarinet in bassclarient is spelt wrong. Yeah, that was a typo I didn't see until it was too late to change it. I'm such a derp.)

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"He had only heard of dragons, and although he had never seen one, he was sure they existed."

― Dee Marie, Sons of Avalon: Merlin's Prophecy

* * *

All twelve dwarves were raiding Belle's pantry, taking food out, setting it on the table, and then returning to the pantry for more food. Belle's protests continued to be unheard.

"Those are my plates! Excuse me! Not my wine. Put that back. Put that back! Not the jam, please! ...Excuse me." Belle had finally resorted to shouting in her little hobbit voice, but of course the dwarves continued to prepare for their feast with her food, ignoring her.

The fattest of the dwarves, Bombur, the one who had red hair and beard, his bears so long it had to be draped from shoulder to shoulder, came out of the pantry with three wheels of cheese, each wheel weighing between 20-30 pounds. Belle frowned.

"Excuse me." She said, trying to stop him. "A tad excessive, isn't it? Have you got a cheese knife?"

"Cheese knife"? One dwarf, Bofur, the one with the funny hat, cut in as he made for the pantry. "He eats it by the block."

Belle frowned as she tried to comprehend this, although she was forced to focus on something else right away as she spotted two dwarves, Oin and Gloin, carrying more chairs to the table.

"No, no, that's Grandpa Mungo's chair! No, I'm sorry, you'll have to take it back please. Take it back...It's antique, not for sitting on!" Belle ordered very loudly while pointing towards the direction the chair belonged (Oin gestured to his ear saying "I cannot hear what youre saying"), quickly spotting more issues.

"Thank you! That's a book, not a coaster. Put that map down, thank you."

While Belle continued to try and stop the dwarves for taking and moving her food and furniture, Gandalf was across the room, watching in amusement at the dwarves. One of the dwarves, Dori, approached Gandalf with a tray of tea.

"Excuse me, Mr. Gandalf, can I tempt you with a nice cup of chamomile tea?" Dori asked politely.

"Oh, no thank you, Dori. A little red wine for me, I think." Gandalf answered. He moved out of the dining room, trying to avoid the scurrying dwarves, accidentally hitting his head on the chandelier. Gandalf begins counting the dwarves on his fingers, naming them as they passed.

"Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori...Ori." Belle wrestled a bowl of tomatoes away from Nori. Bifur, a dwarf with an ax bit stuck in head head, approached Gandalf and began talking to him in Khuzdul and with body movements.

"Yes, you're quite right, Bifur. We appear to be one dwarf short." Gandalf looked to Dwalin.

"He is late, is all. He travelled North to a meeting of our kin. He will come." Dwalin answered the unspoken question.

"Mr. Gandalf?" Dori said.

"Hmmmm?"

"A little glass of red wine, as requested. It's, eh, got a fruity bouquet."

"Ah, cheers." Gandalf said before he took the tiny glass, downing the wine rather quickly, then looking at the glass, wishing for a little more.

The dwarves were all sitting at the dining table having a grand feast with all of Belle's food. They were extremely messy and rude.

"Bombur, catch!" Bofur shouted from across the table as he threw a bit of food to his brother. Bombur caught the food in his mouth and the rest of the dwarves cheered. As everyone begins throwing food, Belle leaves in disgust, but seeing her pantry, she stops and stares; its completely empty, a years worth of food gone. Belle felt extremely upset. In the dining room, Fili begins walking on top of the table, carrying several cups of ale and knocking food out of the way.

"Who wants an ale? There you go." Fili shouts, handing out ale.

"Let him have another drink!" Dwalin says cheerfully.

"Here you go." Fili says.

Dwalin pours his ale into Oin's hearing trumpet, and as Oin splutters in anger, everyone else laughs. Oin puts his hearing trumpet to his mouth and blows the ale out of it, making it squeal. One of the dwarves yells, "On the count of three!" and the dwarves pound their tankards together. Someone counts, "One!...Two!" Then all the dwarves go quiet and begin drinking their ale together. They are all incredibly messy, and ale falls all over their faces and runs down their beards. When finished drinking, they begin burping; the youngest, Ori, lets out the biggest burp. The dwarves laugh. Belle looks away in disgust.

When the dwarves finish their meal, they all begin walking about Belle's house. Belle grabs a doily back from Nori.

"Excuse me, that is a doily, not a dishcloth!" She says as she puts it back in its rightful place.

"But it's full of holes." Bofur protests.

"It's supposed to look like that, it's crochet." Belle says, irritably.

"Oh, and a wonderful game it is too, if you got the balls for it."

"Bebother and confusticate these dwarves!" Belle says to herself as she stalks away.

"My dear Belle, what on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asks. Belle turns on him.

"What's the matter? I'm surrounded by dwarves. What are they doing here?" Belle demands, unable to contain her anger.

"Oh, they're quite a merry gathering, once you get used to them."

Nori appears with a chain of sausages over his shoulder, and Bofur grabs at them. They begin play tug-of-war with the sausages. Gandalf smiles.

"I don't want to get used to them. The state of my kitchen! There's mud trod into the carpet, they've pi-pillaged the pantry. I'm not even going to tell you what they've done in the bathroom; they've all but destroyed the plumbing. I don't understand what they're doing in my house!"

"Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?" Ori says, holding a plate to Belle.

"Here you go, Ori, give it to me." Fili says, appearing.

Fili takes the plate from Ori and throws it to Kili, who throws it behind his back to Bifur, who is standing at the sink in the kitchen. Bifur catches it behind his back, without even looking at it. Kili, Fili, and other dwarves begin throwing the plates, bowls, and utensils to each other, eventually throwing them to the sink to be washed. As dishware flies through the air, Gandalf ducks to avoid getting hit.

"Excuse me, that's my mother's West Farthing crockery, it's over a hundred years old!" Belle says, her voice getting higher pitched with each word.

The dwarves at the tablet begin rhythmically drumming on the tablet with utensils and their fists.

"And can-can you not do that? You'll blunt them!" Belle orders.

"Ooh, d'hear that, lads? She says we'll blunt the knives." Bofur says mockingly.

Kili begins singing, the other dwarves joining in as they continue to throw the dishes.

_"Blunt the knives, bend the forks_

_Smash the bottles and burn the corks_

_Chip the glasses and crack the plates_

_That's what Belle Baggins hates!_

_Cut the cloth and tread on the fat_

_Leave the bones on the bedroom mat_

_Pour the milk on the pantry floor_

_Splash the wine on every door_

_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl_

_Pound them up with a thumping pole_

_When you've finished, if any are whole_

_Send them down the hall to roll_

_That's what Belle Baggins hates!"_

Belle shoved her way through the dwarves, images of her mothers dishes shattered and blunted, but before Belle had the chance to get even angrier, she saw all the dishes cleaned and neatly stacked. As Belle stood there, shocked, the dwarves and Gandalf laughed. Everyone fell silent though when three, loud knocks came from the door.

"He is here."Gandalf said grimly. The group all moved towards the door. Gandalf opened the door to reveal another dwarf. He was quite taller than the other dwarves, and quite handsome in Belle's opinion. He had a more serious air about than the other dwarves.

"Gandalf." The dwarf greeted the wizard in his deep voice as he entered Belle's home. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door."

"Mark?" Belle objected. "There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!"

"There is a mark; I put it there myself." Gandalf explained patiently. "Belle Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin turned to Belle, giving her an appraising look, looking her up and down.

"So, this is the Hobbit. Tell me, Ms. Baggins, have you done much fighting?"

"Pardon me?" Belle frowned.

"Axe or sword?" Thorin asked in a loud voice. "What's your weapon of choice?"

"Well, I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant."

"Thought as much." Thorin turned back to Gandalf. "She looks more like a housewife that should be married and having babies than a burglar."

The dwarves all laughed, and before Belle could get offended at being called a housewife, she realized she had just been called a burglar. Belle decided that she did not like this man.

It was later, when everyone had settled down at the table, and someone had gotten Thorin some food that had been miraculously leftover. For once, the dwarves were quite.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin was asking Thorin.

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." Thorin answered. Belle had no idea what they were talking about. The dwarves murmur their joy.

"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" This time it's Dwalin who asks.

"They will not come." Thorin replies after a pause. This time, the dwarves murmur in disappointment. "They say this quest is ours, and ours alone."

At the word 'quest', Belle's ears perk up, and not in a good way. She remembered Gandalf saying that he was looking for someone to share an adventure with. He must have found these dwarves to serve whatever purpose he had with adventures.

"Belle, my dear lass, let us have a little more light." Gandalf asked. Belle nodded, and went off to find a candle. When she found one, she came back and placed it on the table. Gandalf spread a map out.

"Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak." Gandalf said.

"The Lonely Mountain." Belle reads slowly.

"Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." Gloin nodded to Oin to speak.

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end." This time, it was the word 'beast' that caught Belle's attention. She began to look concerned as to where this conversation was going.

"Uh, what beast?" Belle questioned with wide eyes.

"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age." Bofur informed with a grin as he smoked his pipe. "Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals-"

"Yes, I know what a dragon." Belle had read enough books and heard enough tales to know that a dragon was the most fearsome of all beasts.

"I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie." This came from Ori, the youngest of the dwarves. Several of the other dwarves began to shout at him, Dori yelling, "Sit down!".

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us." Balin said, his voice a little sad and defeated. "But we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest."

Many of the dwarves began to object, most taking offense to what Balin said.

"What did he say?" Oin really hadn't heard what Balin said.

"We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf!" Fili practically shouted, determined to be a brave and noble dwarf.

"And you forget, we have a wizard in our company." Kili reminded the group. "Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time."

"Oh, well, now, uh, I-I-I wouldn't say that, I- -" For once, Gandalf was lost for words.

"How many, then?" Dori asked.

"Uh, what?" Gandalf pretended not to understand the question. In any other situation than this, one that didn't involve her house being pillaged by dwarves, Belle would have found the look on Gandalf's face comical.

"Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number!"

Gandalf began to cough, embarrassed and doing his best to avoid the question. The dwarves all jumped to their feet, arguing and taking bets on the number of dragons Gandalf had killed.

"Shazara!" Belle didnt know the word Thorin shouted, but she assumed it was a dwarven word for 'silence', seeing as every dwarf got quiet very fast. "If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor? Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr!"

Belle didn't know what those last words meant either, but all the dwarves began to cheer.

"You forget: the front gate is sealed." Balin quickly put a damper on the mood. "There is no way into the mountain."

"That, my dear Balin," Gandalf said with a twinkle in his eyes. "is not entirely true."

Twirling his fingers, Gandalf produced a dwarfish key, ornately wrought.

"How came you by this?" Thorin said in wonder.

"It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, for safekeeping. It is yours now." Everyone watched in their own wonder as Gandalf gave the key to Thorin.

"If there is a key, there must be a door." Fili stated the obvious.

"These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls." Gandalf said while using his pipe to point to a set of runes on the left side of the map.

"There's another way in!" Kili gave a large grin.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gandalf met the eyes of every dwarf there. "The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori cut in. _There's that word again_, Belle thought grimly.

"Hm, a good one, too. An expert, I'd imagine." Belle put in, wanting to know where this conversation was going.

"And are you?" Gloin asked while all the other dwarves went quiet, waiting for her response.

"Am I what?" Belle frowned, confused, and hoping they weren't asking if she was a burglar.

"She said she's an expert! Hey hey!" Ori cheered while several of the other dwarves laughed.

"M-Me? No, no, no, no, no. " Belle panicked. "I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life."

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Ms. Baggins." Balin sighed. "She's hardly burglar material."

Belle nodded in agreement.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves. Plus, we don't need a woman who will fright at everything and need to be defended and rescued." Dwalin sneered. Belle frowned, not sure if she should be happy this dwarf didn't want her to join them on their adventure, or offended that he thought she shouldn't come just because she was female. The dwarves all began to argue, many of the younger dwarves saying she should come, a few of the older dwarves saying she shouldn't. Thorin remained silent.

"She doesn't know how fight!" Gloin stated. "We would have to spend time we don't have trying to protect her!"

"She can learn!" Kili argued. "Her presence will benefit this Company!"

"She's a woman!" Oin said. "Women don't fight!"

"They are not burglars!" Dori added.

"A few women do fight." Bofur pointed out. "Ms. Belle can to."

"And Ms. Belle said she _was_ a burglar!" Ori put in.

The dwarves continued to shout over on another, arguing on whether or not a woman should join the Company, and whether or not she was a burglar. Gandalf, growing tied of the arguing, stood to his full height and darkness began to spread over the group.

"Enough! If I say Belle Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar she is." Gandalf's voice was deep and power, very different from the wise and kind voice he usually had.

"Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet." Gandalf's voice returned to normal and the darkness disappeared. "In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Ms. Baggins, whether or not she's a woman. There's a lot more to her than appearances suggest, and she's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including herself. You must trust me on this."

"Very well." Thorin said after a long moment of silence. "We will do it your way."

"No, no, no." Belle was almost begging.

"Give her the contract." Thorn ordered Balin, ignoring Belle. The dwarves who protested her presence frowned, but did not argue with Thorin.

"Please." Belle whimpered.

"Alright, we're off!" Bofur cheered, his good mood seemly to never disappear. Balin handed Belle a long contract.

"It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." Balin explains.

"Funeral arrangements?" Belle squeaked. As she step back a few feet to unfold the contract and read it, Thorin leans in close to Gandalf.

"I cannot guarantee her safety." Thorin whispered.

"Understood." Gandalf whispered back after a slight pause.

"Nor will I be responsible for her fate."

"Agreed." It takes Gandalf longer to reply this time. Belle is reading off parts of the contract.

"Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations ..." Belle reads the word slow and drawn out. "evisceration … incineration?"

At the last word, Belle turns to look at the group of dwarves and Gandalf, her eyebrows raised and looking a little breathless. Dwalin smirked.

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur said lazily. Belle now began to look queasy.

"Huh." Was all she could get out.

"You all right, lassie?" Balin asks, concerned. Belle bent over, looking more and more breathless and nauseated.

"Uh, yeah... Feel a bit faint." Belle said faintly.

"Think furnace, with wings." Bofur was defiantly not helping.

"Air, I-I-I need air." She gasped.

"Flash of light, searing pain, then poof! you're nothing more than a pile of ash." Bofur's words are what did it.

"Hmmm." Belle straightens up, taking deep breaths, trying to compose herself with the others watches. "Nope."

And with that, Belle fainted. But before she lost all consciousness, she heard a chair scrape as someone stood quickly, and instead of the floor, Belle landed in someone's arms.

"Ah, very helpful, Bofur." Gandalf said sarcastically.

* * *

It was some time later when Belle had regained consciousness. She was now sitting in a chair with a hot mug of tea.

"I'll be all right, let me just sit quietly for a moment." She assured Gandalf.

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long." Gandalf chided. "Tell me; when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you? I remember a young Hobbit who always was running off in search of elves and the woods, who'd stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. A young Hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps; it's out there."

Gandalf gestured to the window, where one could see the Shire. The other hobbits were probably just now leaving the Green Dragon, as the sounds of music and laughter could no longer be heard in the now quiet house. Belle stared out the window for a long moment before turning back to Gandalf.

"I can't just go running off into the blue." She said softly. "You heard them anyways; they do not want me. I am a Baggins, a woman at that, of Bag End."

"You are also a Took. And whether or not you are a woman does not matter." Gandalf reminded. It was well known that the Took's were all adventurous types of hobbits. "Did you know that your great-great-great-great-uncle, Bullroarer Took, was so large he could ride a real horse?"

"Yes." Belle said, rubbing her face with her hands.

"Well he could. In the Battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time."

"I do believe you made that up." Belle said irritably.

"Well, all good stories deserve embellishment. You'll have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back." Gandalf's eyes twinkled. It was a long moment before Belle answered.

"Can you promise that I will come back?"

"No. And if you do, you will not be the same." Gandalf said in all seriousness, the twinkle in his eyes gone. Belle sighed.

"That's what I thought. Sorry, Gandalf, I can't sign this. You've got the wrong Hobbit. Find someone more suitable for the job." Belle got up out of the chair and made her way down the hall towards her bedroom. Down a different hallway, Balin and Thorin watch as Belle leaves.

"It appears we have lost our burglar." Balin says in bitter disappointment. Thorin, on the other hand, was relieved.. "Probably for the best. The odds were always against us. She was just a tiny hobbit woman. And after all, what are we? Merchants, miners, tinkers, toy-makers; hardly the stuff of legend."

Balin was actually disappointed that Belle refused to join the Company. He agreed with Gandalf; the girl would prove to be useful to the group. She was capable of courage and bravery, Balin was old enough to see that, even if it was something Belle would have to learn along the way. Thorin and few of the others would need proof of this before they were able to get past her being a woman, although they would not argue with choice Gandalf had made. Balin hoped the girl would come to change her mind, and felt that she probably would.

"There are a few warriors amongst us." Thorin said, looking at Balin.

"Old warriors." Balin's smile was bitter.

"I will take each and every one of these dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills." Thorin declared, filled with courage. "For when I called upon them, they came. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. I can ask no more than that."

"You don't have to do this. You have a choice. You've done honorably by our people." Balin reminded Thorin, although he already knew Thorin's answer. "You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains, a life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold in Erebor."

Thorin took out the key Gandalf gave him from his pocket, and held it up to Balin.

"From my grandfather to my father, this has come to me. They dreamt of the day when the dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me."

"Then we are with you, laddie. We will see it done." Balin said softly.

Sometime later, all the dwarves are gathered in Belle's living room, smoking their pipes by the fire. They all begin to hum, Thorin starting to sing, the others soon joining him.

"_Far over the misty mountains cold_

_To dungeons deep and caverns old_

_We must away ere break of day_

_To find our long-forgotten gold_

_The pines were roaring on the height_

_The winds were moaning in the night_

_The fire was red, it flaming spread_

_The trees like torches blazed with light"_

Gandalf listens from a nearby hallway,smoking a pipe. Belle listens from her bedroom, sitting on the beds edge while leaning on one of the posts.

Belle knows that they are singing a song about their homeland, Erebor, and the dragon that took it away. A twinge of guilt rises up inside of her, because for some reason, these dwarves think she is the one they need, and she refused. Not to mention, Belle knows it was the dwarves leader, Thorin, who had caught her when she fainted, instead of letting her fall to the ground. She feels bad that instead of repaying him for his kindness (although Thorin comes off as anything but kind), she is refusing to help them reclaim the home they had been forced out of.

After a bit of though, Belle decides she has nothing to feel guilty about. After all, if she joined them on this quest, Belle knows she would be nothing but a burden. She doesn't know how to fight, she doesn't know anything about surviving in the wild for a long period of time, and if she got into any trouble, the dwarves would have to help her.

_Yes_, Belle thought. _I would do nothing but be a burden and a danger to them. No reason to feel bad about refusing to help._

Belle blew out her candle and laid back into her bed. She had a hard time falling asleep.


	3. Beginning An Adventure

I do not own the Hobbit or anything related to it. Sorry for any typos. No flames, be nice, constructive criticism the only criticism welcome.

* * *

"Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure."

― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

* * *

Belle woke up the next morning to the sun shinning through the window. For a moment, she smiled and snuggled deeper into her bed. Then, she remembered everything that happened the night before and frowned. She jumped out of bed, tying her robe tightly around her.

The house is very quite, even though Belle is expecting to run into the hoard of dwarves. But she doesn't; the house is completely empty. Her house has been cleaned up completely from the feast the night before, looking as if nothing had even happened.

"Hello?" Belle called, expecting an answer. The house remained quiet.

For a moment, Belle smiles and sighs with relief. But the next moment, Belle looks around her house, noticing how empty and lonely it now seems. A twinge of sadness and regret runs through, now sad that she will never see those dwarves again. Not Balin's and his politeness and wisdom, not Bofur and his humor and funny hat, not Fili and Kili and their humor. Not even Thorin, and his courage and honor. Belle didn't even know if she would ever even see Gandalf again. For some reason, the thought of not seeing any of them again filled her with great sadness.

Out of the corner of her eye, Belle saw something on the table. It was the contract. Belle picked it up and saw it had already been signed by Thorin and Balin.

And then, something Tookish welled up inside of Belle. The need to see far away places, searching for treasure and doing something honorable and worthwhile. Belle's face filled with determination, and she made her decision.

Belle threw open the door to Bag End, racing down the stairs. She had changed into a pair of trousers, a white button shirt with suspenders, a green buttoned vest, and a red jacket. On her back she had a bag that had been quickly packed. In one hand is the contract.

Belle ran through Hobbiton as fast as she can, which isn't very fast, considering her little hobbit legs. She jumps over fences and pumpkins while her neighbors' shake their heads at her.

"Hey! Ms. Belle! Where are you off to?" One neighbor asks as she races past.

"Can't stop, I'm already late!" Belle shouts at the neighbor.

"Late for what?" Her neighbor yelled at her retreating form.

"I'm going on an adventure!"

* * *

The dwarves were riding down a path through a wooded area, the dwarves on ponies, Gandalf on a horse. They were quietly talking, the words " waste of time" and "use a hobbit" heard.

"Wait! Wait!" Belle yelled, running up from behind the group. They all stop, some of the dwarves calling 'woah!' to stop their ponies.

"I signed it!" Belle said, breathless and smiling. She hands the contract to Balin, who inspects the signatures with a pocket-glass.

"Everything appears to be in order." Balin announced, smiling. "Welcome, Ms. Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

The dwarves all cheer. Thorin, on the other hand, doesn't look too impressed.

"Give her a pony." He orders. Thorin was slightly upset that the hobbit girl decided to join after all, no matter how pretty she was. He had hoped she wouldn't decided to join the Company, and was convinced she wouldn't. Now, Thorin would have to worry about getting her back home, regardless that he had told Gandalf that he would not be responsible for what happened to her. Thorin would give his life to protect any member of his Company, more so to any woman, for Thorin was a honorable man, and believed in protecting any woman.

"No, no, no, no, that-that won't be necessary, thank you, but I-I'm sure I can keep up on foot." Belle tries to assure them. "I- I-I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once-WAGH!"

Belle's speech on how she doesn't need a pony is cut off as two dwarves ride up be hide her, pick her up, and put her on a pony. Kili and Fili rode up, laughing.

"Well, I'm glad you decided to join, Ms. Belle." Kili said with a mischievous grin. "It'll be nice to have a pretty woman among all us ugly men."

"Uh, yeah." Belle said, not really answering but completely concentrating on the pony.

"Remember to come to us if you need anything, anything at all." Fili said suggestively, trying to flirt, failing, and yet becoming more and more amused.

"Uh-huh." Belle replied, too terrified to focus on anything other than the pony. The twins burst out laughing before riding off.

* * *

Sometime later, Belle is riding on the pony she was put on. Her body is very stiff and she is very terrified. The pony neighs and tosses its head, making Belle even more uncomfortable.

"Come on, Nori, pay up. Go on." Oin calls from somewhere behind Belle. Nori tosses a small sack of gold back while the other dwarves begin exchanging sacks of gold.

"What's that about?" A confused Belle asks the wizard riding along side her.

"Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you'd turn up." Gandalf explained. "Most of them bet that you wouldn't."

"What did you think?" Belle asks dubiously. Gandalf chuckled, and then caught a sack of gold from the air.

"My dear girl," Gandalf said as he put away his gold. "I never doubted you for a second."

Moments past in silence until Belle sneezes.

"Ohh." She complains. "All this horse hair, I'm having a reaction."

Belle fumbles around her pockets, looking for her handkerchief. Her eyes widen in shock when she can't find it.

"No, no, wait, wait, stop!" Belle yells. "Stop! We have to turn around."

The entire company pulls to a halt, some of the dwarves objecting and asking what the problem is. Thorin glares.

"What on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asks.

"I forgot my handkerchief." Belle replies, as if that handkerchief is the most important thing in the world.

"Here! Use this." Bofur calls cheerfully as he tears a strip of cloth from his clothing and then tossing it to Belle. She catches the rag, looking at it in disgust as she holds it between two fingers. The dwarves all laugh.

"Move on." Thorin calls from the front of the group and the company continues.

"You'll have to manage without pocket-handkerchiefs and a good many other things, Belle Baggins," Gandalf tells her. "before we reach our journey's end. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you; the world is ahead."

* * *

This chapter is short but oh well.

So this story is supposed to be a ThorinxBilbo(Belle) romance story. If any one has any ideas about what I should do between them, comment your idea. I'm having issues writing in scenes between them.


	4. Stories And Wizards

Disclaimer: I don't own The Hobbit or anything related. I write purely for my own amusement. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed, favorited, etc. Sorry for any typos.

* * *

"Perhaps some day I'll crawl back home, beaten, defeated. But not as long as I can make stories out of my heartbreak, beauty out of sorrow."

― Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

* * *

The Company had decided to make camp near the edge of a cliff. The dwarves right away starting building a fire, preparing dinner, and setting up bedrolls. Belle had no idea what to do. Never before had she had to sleep on the ground, let alone outside. So she was left to stand awkwardly by the pony, Myrtle, she had been riding all day.

Belle was stroking Myrtle's long face and talking to her when Thorin approached.

"Here." He said, handing her a bundle. "I know you probably didn't bring a bedroll, so use this."

"Thank you." Belle said, blushing and looking down at the ground. Not only did she feel like a fool to go on an adventure without all the necessary items, but for some reason Belle did not understand, when Thorin approached, her heart rate sped up and she felt flustered, although feeling flustered was seeming to become a thing she always felt nowadays.

Thorin stood and stared at Belle for a moment before returning to help set up camp.

* * *

It was later that night and the full moon was high in the sky. Crickets chirped while the occasional owl hoot and lone wolf howl could be heard. Many of the dwarves slept, although Gandalf and a few others stayed up, smoking their pipes and quietly talking.

To Belle's extreme disliking, it turned out that dwarves snored very loud. Maybe that was why someone always needed to be on watch, as it would be very easy for anyone who wanted to find the Company should they wanted to.

And so Belle tossed and turned for a few hours, not only from the others snoring but from how uncomfortable she was sleeping on the cold, hard ground. Finally she sat up, spotting Gloin, who was sleeping nearest to her. As Belle watched, a group of small moths fluttering above Gloin's face were sucked into his mouth when he inhaled, being blown out when he exhaled. Belle wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Belle gets up, accepting that she wouldn't be able to sleep. She quietly walked over the group of ponies, seeking out a certain one.

"Hello, girl. That's a good girl." Belle whispered to the pony as she fed it an apple. "It's our little secret, Myrtle; you must tell no one. Shh, shh."

Suddenly, an inhuman scream cut through the night. The crickets stopped chirping. Belle scurried back over towards the fire.

"What was that?" Belle whispered, terrified.

"Orcs." Kili answered. Thorin, dozing, jerks awake at the word 'orcs'.

Another scream is heard.

"Orcs?" Belle asks hesitantly.

"Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them." Fili explained.

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep." Kili whispered ominously. "Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood."

Belle looked away in fright, once again feeling faint. Kili and Fili look at each other and begin snickering.

"You think that's funny?" Thorin says, walking up. "You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?"

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili says, looking at the ground.

"No, you didn't." Thorin replies bitterly. "You know nothing of the world."

Thorin stalks off to the edge of the cliff, looking out over the valley. Balin walks up to the fire, having heard the little spat.

"Don't mind him, lass." He tells Belle. "Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first."

"Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King.

"Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us.

"That is when I saw him:" Balin smiled at the memory. "a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc.

"He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent…wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield.

"Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken.

"Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived.

"And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King."

Balin finished the tale of Azog and Thorin with a smile as he remembered looking up at the young prince who had saved them all, still holding the oaken branch.

At this time, Thorin turned away from the valley and back towards the fire. He was greeted with the sight of his entire Company, now awake and starring at him in awe.

"But the pale orc?" Belle asks almost hesitantly. "What happened to him?"

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came." Thorin said with disgusted tone. "That filth died of his wounds long ago."

Balin and Gandalf didn't look too sure of what Thorin had just said.

* * *

On a cliff, opposite the one the Company made camp one, was another group. Orcs, riding Wargs.

"Send word to the Master. We have found the Dwarf-scum." Yazneg, their leader orders in their Orc tongue.

* * *

The Company is riding through a muddy forest hole it rains heavily. They all wear some sort of hood. They all look miserable, grumbling and complaining.

"Here, Mr. Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?" Nori yells from somewhere in the back of the group.

"It is raining, Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done." Gandalf snaps. "If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard."

"Are there any?" Belle asks, peering out from under her hoodes coated one of the dwarves had given her.

"What?"

"Other wizards?"

"There are five of us." Gandalf tells. "The greatest of our order is Saruman, the White. Then there are the two Blue Wizards; you know, I've quite forgotten their names."

"And who is the fifth?" Belle asks.

"Well, that would be Radagast, the Brown." Gandalf says this almost a if he didn't want to mention it.

"Is he a great Wizard or is he...more like you?" Gandalf looks slightly offended.

"I think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world."

* * *

Far away in a different part of Middle-Earth, Radagast the Brown runs through a forest in a panic. He examines a dying plant.

"Not good; not good at all."

Radagast continues his panicked run through the forest, passing many dead animals. He stops to pluck a mushroom from the ground and put it in his bag. He feels and tastes the sap of a tree which seems to be infected, all the time getting more and more worried. Radagast lifts his hat and whistles. A bird and its mate appear, and they settle in a neat which is built on top of the wizards head. Bird droppings run down the side of Radagast's head.

And then Radagast spot something. A hedgehog, lying on the forest floor; it appears to be dying.

"Oh no! Sebastian!" Radagast says as he cradles the animal. "Good gracious."

Running through the forest, Radagast brings Sebastian to his home, Rhosgobel. There, the wizard attempts to heal the hedgehog using many medical and magical techniques, but with no avail.

"Move back!" Radagast shouts at several other hedgehogs gather around Sebastian. "Give him some air, for goodness sake!"

Radagast continues his treatments while the hedgehog continues to writhe in pain.

"I don't understand why it's not working; it's not as if it's witchcraft..." A strange look pasts over Radagast's face and when he speaks again he speaks in a different, deeper voice than before. "Witchcraft. But it is. A dark and powerful magic."

Hearing a noise, Radagast looks up and sees several giant spiders crawling up the side of his house. Radagast hurriedly braces his door shut with a bench. Sebastian suddenly croaks, gasping for air, then dies. Radagast seems to be about to cry; however, the house starts creaking with the sound of the spiders crawling over the roof. Radagast runs over to his staff and pulls out the blue stone embedded at the top. As all the small rodents and other animals in his house flee, Radagast cradles Sebastian and whispers a spell, while holding the blue stone to the hedgehog's muzzle.

"Lerya laman naiquentallo. Sí a hlare ómaquettar. Na coilerya en-vinyanta. Sí a hlare ómaquettar. Na coilerya en-vinyanta."

(Translation: Free the animal from the curse. Now hear words of my voice. Be its life renewed. Now hear words of my voice. Be its life renewed.)

Spiders are beginning to break through the thatched roof. As Radagast says his spell, he goes into a trance-like state, and his spell gets more and more powerful as darkness falls over the house. An inky, black shadow is extracted from the hedgehog and into the blue stone. Suddenly, the hedgehog gasps for air and wakes up, and light returns to the area; the spiders crawl off the house. Running outside, Radagast sees spider webs all around his house, and he sees the giant spiders crawling off into the forest.

"Where on this good earth did those foul creatures come from?" He says. A bird flies up to him, chirping.

"The old fortress?" A haunted look comes to Radagast's face. "Show me."

.


	5. Trolls and New Feelings

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or anything related. No flames.

* * *

"Trolls suck."  
-Betty White

* * *

It was past midday, the sun just beginning its descent downwards. The Company was along side rocky hill. They stopped alongside an old, abounded farm house that is in ruins.

"We'll camp here for the night." Thorin announced. "Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them."

"A farmer and his family used to live here." Gandalf said to himself as he wondered into the old farm house.

"Oin, Gloin." Thorin called.

"Aye?" Gloin responded.

"Get a fire going." Thorin ordered.

"Right you are." Gloin agreed.

"I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley." Gandalf suggested.

"I have told you already, I will not go near that place." Thorin said, stubbornly.

"Why not? The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice." Gandalf pointed out.

"I do not need their advice." Thorin declared quietly.

"We have a map that we cannot read." Gandalf said in a raised voice, getting angry. "Lord Elrond could help us."

"Help? A dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing. You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father."

"You are neither of them." Gandalf said. "I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past."

"I did not know that they were yours to keep." Thorin glares.

Gandalf stomps out of the farm house, angry. The entire Company stops what they are doing as Gandalf's passes, making his way towards his horse.

"Everything alright? Gandalf, where are you going?" Belle says in a slightly panicked voice running after Gandalf.

"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense." Gandalf spits, unable to contain his anger at the dwarfs' stubbornness.

"Who's that?" Belle is confused.

"Myself, Ms. Baggins! I've had enough of dwarves for one day." Gandalf mounts his horse and rides off. Belle looks extremely worried.

"Come on, Bombur, we're hungry." Thorin orders, completely ignoring Gandalf's departure.

"Is he coming back?" Belle asks Balin, feeling terrified at the thought of Gandalf not returning and her being left alone with the dwarves. Balin doesn't look too sure.

* * *

By nighttime, Bombur has made soup for dinner, and Gandalf have still not returned.

"He's been a long time." She says to herself, looking off into the distance.

"Who?" Bofur asks, overhearing.

"Gandalf."

"He's a wizard! He does as he chooses. Here, do us a favor: take this to the lads." Bofur says with a grin.

Belle takes the two bowls of soup meant for Fili and Kili from Bofur, who then keeps Bombur from getting more food.

Belle makes her way off into the darkness, going in the direction Kili and Fili are supposed to be watching the ponies. When she finds then, they are starring out into the dark and then don't take the bowls of soup when Belle offers.

"What's the matter?" Belle questioned.

"We're supposed to be looking out for the ponies." Kili replies grimly.

"Only we've encountered a slight problem." Fili continues.

"We had sixteen."

"Now there's fourteen."

They all examine the herd of ponies.

"Daisy and Bungo are missing." Kili informs Belle.

"Well, that's not good. That is not good at all." She responds, worried for the ponies and worried about what happened to them. "Shouldn't we tell Thorin?"

"Uhh, no." Fili objects. "Let's not worry him. As our official burglar, we thought you might like to look into it."

Ah, great. Belle thought. She had been hoping to put off this burglar thing as long as possible, maybe long enough that the dwarves would forget that that's why they asked her to join, but it looked as if that want going to happen. Belle takes a look around the area and sees a bunch of trees that have been recently uprooted and on the ground.

"Well, uh..." Belle stutters as she walks over, still holding the bowls of soup. "look, some-something big uprooted these trees."

"That was our thinking." Kili said seriously, following Belle.

"Something very big, and possibly quite dangerous." Now Belle is beginning to get worried by her own observations.

"Hey!" Fili says suddenly. "There's a light. Over here! Stay down."

As the three of them quietly run towards the light, they hide behind a log when realize its a fire. Harsh laughter can be heard from the fire.

"What is it?" Belle whispers.

"Trolls." Kili responds, just as him and Fili take off running towards the fire.

Belle starts to follow then but then stops, turns around to grab the two bowls of soup she had left on the log, and then runs after Kili and Fili. Belle hears something big crashing through the forest and quickly hides behind a tree just as a troll passes, a pony under each arm.

"He's got Myrtle and Minty!" Belle says to the twins as she joins them, horrified. "I think they're going to eat them, we have to do something."

"Yes; you should." Kili said with enthusiasm. "Mountain trolls are slow and stupid, and you're so small."

"N-n-no-" Belle stammers.

"They'll never see you." Kili points out with a grin.

"No, no, no..." Belle protests as with two dwarves push her forward towards the trolls.

"It's perfectly safe! You're smaller than the average hobbit, therefore harder to see and lighter on your feet. Plus, we'll be right behind you." Kili says, continuing to push he forwards.

"If you run into trouble, hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a brown owl, and we shall come save says as he takes the two bowls of soup from Belle's hands.

"Twice like a barn owl, twice like a brown-once like a brown?" Belle frowned, suddenly not sure what a brown owl and a barn owl sounded like. She turns to Fili and Kili. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

But Fili and Kili are already gone.

Gandalf had been right when he said that hobbits remain undetected if they wished. Belle crept slowly but surely towards the pen, forcing down the fear the welling up inside, determined to prove herself as a burglar, whether or not she wanted to.

There are three trolls, William, Bert, and Tom. They are sitting around a cauldron, in which Bert is cooking something as he is the one wearing the apron. Tom is the one who stole the ponies and William is wearing a dirty vest.

"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't like like mutton again tomorrow." Bert complained.

"Quit yer' griping." Tom snapped. "These ain't sheep. These are West Nags."

"Oh, I don't like `orse. I never `ave. Not enough fat on them." William grumbled.

"Well, it's better than the leathery old farmer." Bert said. "All skin and bone, he was. I'm still picking bits of him out of me teeth."

At that moment, William sneezed in the pot.

"Oh, that's lovely, that is, a floater." Bert said sarcastically.

"Oh, it might improve the flavor!" Tom said with hope.

"Ah! There's more where that came from." William got ready to spit more snot into the pot, but Bert grabs his nose. Belle, unseen, moves behind them.

"Oh no, you don't!" Bert shouts as he throws William to the ground.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" William cries.

"Sit down!" Bert orders.

William sneezes again, this time into a handkerchief he pulls out from behind him. While he sniffs, Belle reaches the pen holding the stolen ponies. She starts trying to untie the huge knot keeping the horses pinned in. She hides as William turns towards the ponies.

"I hope you're gonna gut these nags. I don't like the stinky parts." Bert hits William with the ladle as he gets up and starts towards the ponies.

"I said sit down!" Bert snarls.

"I'm starving!" William whines. "Are we `aving horse tonight or what?"

"Shut your cakehole. You'll eat what I give ya'." Bert orders.

As William pulls out his handkerchief again, something catches Belle's eye; a long, very sharp knife sticking out of Williams's belt. Belle realizes that she will not be able to get the know untied: she will have to cut it.

"How come 'e's the cook? Everything tastes the same. Everything tastes like chicken." Tom complains as Belle stealthily moved towards the knife.

"Except the chicken." William adds.

"That tastes like fish!" Tom finishes.

"I'm just saying, a little appreciation would be nice." Bert says all but to himself. "'Thank you very much, Bert,' 'Lovely stew, Bert'; how hard is that? Hmm, it just needs a sprinkle of squirrel dung."

William reaches for a large mug a drink but Tom stops him.

"There, that's my grog!" He snarls.

"Uhh, uhh, sorry." William whimpers.

Bert hits William with his ladle again, once again knocking him down.

"Ooh, that is beautifully balanced, that is." Bert says as he tastes the soup.

"Wrap your tongue around that, mate." Bert says as he feeds Tom a ladle full of soup. "Eh? Good, innit? Heh, heh, heh. That's why I'm the cook."

At this time, Belle is behind William. She looks at the knife, wanting to run but decides against it. She reached for the knife, but then William stood up. Belle stopped breathing but then the troll scratched his bottom before sitting down again. Belle is both relieved and disgusted.

"Me guts are grumbling, I've got to snaffle something. Flesh I need, flesh!" Tom yells.

William, about to sneeze yet again, reaches for his handkerchief. Belle who is about to grab the knife, is grabbed instead. William sneezes all over her before realizing that he holds something other than just an ordinary booger. Belle could feel her stomach churning with the disgust of the trolls snot covering her.

"Argh!" He screams. "Blimey! Bert! Bert! Look what's come out of me 'ooter! It's got arms and legs and everything."

"What is it?" Tom asks as all the trolls gather around William.

"I don't know, but I don't like the way it wriggles around!" William shakes Belle onto the ground, who struggles to stand, her heart pounding in fear. Where are Fili and Kili, she thinks desperately.

"What are you then?" Tom demands. "An oversized squirrel?"

"I'm a burglar-" Belle inwardly curses herself. "Uhh, Hobbit."

"A Burglar-Hobbit?" William questions.

"Can we cook `im?" Tom asks.

"We can try!" William says loudly, reaching for Belle, who dodges only to be cornered by Bert.

"She wouldn't make more than a mouthful, not when she's skinned and boned!" Bert pointed out.

"Perhaps there's more Burglar-Hobbits around these parts. Might be enough for a pie." Tom suggests hopefully.

"Grab it!" Bert demands as Belle tries to escape into the forest, back to the safety of the dwarves she knew would protect her, even if they did complain.

"It's too quick!" William cries.

As the trolls try to catch Belle, he runs around trying to dodge them. Bert accidentally hits William with his ladle while trying to hit Belle. She is eventually caught by the legs by Tom, and held upside down in the air.

"Come here, you little...Gotcha! Are there any more of you little fellas `iding where you shouldn't?"

"Nope." Belle says immediately, feeling extremely fearful at the though that she might be cooked and eaten. All my books and maps and Mother's dishes, Belle thinks ruefully. All to be left to those dreadful Sachville-Baggins.

"It's lying!" William said.

"No, I'm not!" Belle protests, even though she is.

"Hold her toes over the fire. Make 'er squeal." William suggests with glee.

At that moment, Kili leaps out of the bushes with a warcry, cutting William's leg, making the troll howl and fall down.

"Drop her!" Kili ordered.

"You what?" Tom says.

"I said, drop her!" Kili snarls.

Tom throws Belle at Kili; Belle lands on Kili, knocking them both down. The rest of the Company charges out of the bushes yelling and brandishing their weapons. They begin fighting the trolls, hacking, slashing, and hammering their legs.

As the dwarves fight, Belle grabs William's knife and begins sawing threw the ropes, eventually freeing the ponies. Tom, seeing this, grabs Belle. The dwarves stop fighting when they see the trolls holding Belle by the arms and legs.

"Belle!" Kili shouts, rushing forward.

"No!" Thorin orders, stopping Kili, knowing that by attacking, his young nephew would have gotten the pretty little hobbit ripped to pieces.

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip 'er's off." Tom threatened.

Thorin stares in frustration at Belle, who stares back, her eyes pleading with Thorin to call the order to lay down arms. Thorin sighs, and puts his sword on the ground. The others do so as well.

* * *

By this time, the trolls have tied several of the dwarves onto a spit and are roasting them over the fire. The rest of the dwarves, plus Belle, are tied up neatly in sacks with only their heads showing.

"Don't bother cooking them." William protests. "Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly."

"They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage." Bert disagrees.

"Is this really necessary?" Dori grumbles from somewhere on the fire spit.

"Ooh, that does sound quite nice." William agrees with Bert.

"Untie us, you monsters!" Oin shouts from the ground.

"Take on someone your own size!" Gloin adds. The dwarves on the spit and in the bags are all make noises and talking in fear.

"Never mind the seasoning; we ain't got all night!" Tom says over the dwarves. "Dawn ain't far away, so let's get a move on. I don't fancy being turned to stone."

Belle had been quiet this whole time. She knows that all of this is somewhat her fault. If only she hadn't listened to Fili and Kili, if only she had been a better burglar ad not been caught. if only she hadn't felt the need to rove herself as the burglar she didn't want to be. If only she had ignored that Tookish need for adventure that had welled up inside of her and never had come.

While wallowing in her own self pity, Tom said something that caught Belle's attention; 'I don't fancy being turned to stone'. Well, if that's what would happen if the trolls were out after dawn, then Belle had an idea.

"Wait!" Belle yelled desperately. "You are making a terrible mistake."

"You can't reason with them, they're half-wits!" Nori called, miserably.

"Half-wits? What does that make us?" Bofur grumbled to himself.

Belle struggles to stand, managing just barely. She hops forward in her sack and faces the trolls.

"Uh, I meant with the, uh, with, uh, with the seasoning." Belle struggles for the words that will delay the trolls till sunrise.

"What about the seasoning?" Bert says, suddenly interested.

"Well have you smelt them?" Belle says with more confidence. "You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up."

The dwarves all begin yelling at Belle, calling her a traitor and other names. The ones in sacks kick at her. Belle ignores it.

"What do you know about cooking dwarf?" Tom questions, suspicious.

"Shut up, and let the, uh, flurgaburburrahobbit talk." Bert shushes, very interested in how this female can make his food taste better.

"Uh, th-the secret to cooking dwarf is, um-" Belle stutters.

"Yes? Come on." Bert urged.

"It's, um-"

"Tell us the secret!" Bert demanded.

"Ye-yes, I'm telling you, the secret is … to skin them first!" Belle blurts out, saying the first thing that came to mind.

"Tom, get me the filleting knife." Bert instructs. Belle grimaces, inwardly cursing herself as she realized her mistake.

"If I get you, you little-" Comes the treat from Gloin.

"I won't forget that!" Dwalin snarls.

"What a load of rubbish!" Tom declares. "I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff them, I say, boots and all."

Belle whimpers quietly, feeling her plan of stalling the trolls till dawn and saving the dwarves start to slip away. Then, Belle just happens to catch a glimpse of Gandalf slipping behind some trees and hope rekindles.

"`e's right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf! Nice and crunchy." William grabs Bombur, who was in a sack, and dangles him over his mouth, about to eat the fat dwarf. Bombur whimpers, about to cry.

"Not-not that one, he-he's infected!" Belle shouts.

"You what?" Tom says, not believing his ears.

"Yeah, He's got worms in his … tubes." Once again Belle was cursing her stupidness, positive that the trolls would not believe her. William drops Bombor back onto the pile of dwarves in disgust.

"In-in fact they all have, they're in-infested with parasites. It's a terrible business; I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't." Belle tries to convince the trolls

"Parasites, did she say parasites?" Oin asks, not being able to hear well.

"We don't have parasites! You have parasites!" Kili protests and insults (miserably) at the same time.

"What are you talking about, lassie?" Gloin demands.

The rest of the dwarves all chime in on how they don't have parasites and that Belle is a fool. She sighs and rolls her eyes as the dwarves mess up her plan to get them all out alive. Thorin, however, understands Belle's plan. He kicks at the others, who, after a moment, finally understand too. The dwarves then start proclaiming how they are 'riddled with parasites.'

"I've got parasites as big as my arm."

"Mine are the biggest parasites, I've got huge parasites!"

"We're riddled."

"Yes, I'm riddled."

"Yes we are. Badly!"

"What would you have us do, then, let 'em all go?" Tom asks Belle with a slightly threatening tone.

"Well..." Belle trailed off suggestively.

"You think I don't know what you're up to? This little ferret is taking us for fools!" Tom said, his voice getting louder with each word until he was yelling.

"Ferret?" Belle resented this new name for her, and took offense.

"Fools?" Bert questioned, not sure if Tom had just insulted them as well. Suddenly, Gandalf appears on a giant boulder that has been blocking the rising sun.

"The dawn will take you all!" He yelled in a deep voice.

"Who's that?" Bert asked.

"No idea." Tom replied, not caring.

"Can we eat 'im too?" William said, ever thinking with his stomach.

Gandalf brings his staff down on the rock, splitting it in half. Sunlight begins to stream into the clearing. When the sunlight touches the trolls, their skin begins to sizzle as they scream and howl in agony. Within seconds, the trolls have been turned completely to stone. All the dwarves begin to cheer for Gandalf, thanking him for rescuing them. The dwarves on the spit, however, still look uncomfortable.

"Oh, get your foot out of my back!" Dwalin snarls.

* * *

It took a while, but finally all of the dwarves had been freed from the spit and cut from the sacks. Several of them congratulated Belle on her quick thinking of stalling the trolls, while others apologized for calling her a traitor and other names. Belle just smiled and told them that there were no hard feelings and that it was no problem.

On the inside, however, Belle was freaking out. She had no idea how she would survive the rest of the trip, let alone a dragon, when she had nearly gotten everyone eaten just days after the quest began. While she wanted with every fiber of her being to return to Bag End to her comfy chair and bed, her garden, and her books, Belle knew she couldn't abandon these dwarves she had come to like. Besides, Belle was quiet positive that she could not make it back home if she tried.

Gandalf is inspecting the stone statues of the trolls, giving one a thump with his staff, a pleased smile on his face.

"Where did you go to, if I may ask?" Thorin says quietly as he approaches Gandalf.

"To look ahead." Gandalf replies.

"What brought you back?"

"Looking behind." Gandalf smiles. "Nasty business. Still, they are all in one piece."

"No thanks to your burglar." Thorin says with a frown.

"She had the nous to play for time."Gandalf points out with a twinkle in his eyes. "None of the rest of you thought of that."

Thorin sighed, knowing Gandalf is right. He had been nothing but rude to the hobbit ever since he stepped foot into her home. Thorin knew it was wrong to treat a member of his Company, much less a woman, in this way.

Thorin looked over to where Belle was feeding the pony she rode an apple. Thorin had to admit she was pretty. Not as curvy as the human woman, or as fair as eleven woman, nor as sturdy as the dwarven woman, but she was still pretty. Her dark, wavy hair hung halfway down her back, not a curly as most hobbit woman's were. Her bright blue eyes were usually filled with panic, fear, and discomfort but that was to be expected from one of the gentle folk, although right now they were filled with laughter as Kili and Fili told her some amusing story. Thorin sighed again and began making his way towards Belle. Thorin swore he heard Gandalf chuckle quietly.

When they saw him coming, Kili and Fili quickly excused themselves from Belle, neither wanting a lecture on how they should have been watching the ponies more closely. Belle's eyes widened a little with panic when she saw him coming and her eyes quickly fell to the ground in shame.

"I underestimated you." Thorin said quietly. "I apologize. You showed courage by stalling the trolls; someone could have been hurt if you hadn't."

Belle jerked her head up. She had been expecting Thorin to yell at her for being stupid and putting them all in danger. She blushed, and looked away again.

"You mean after I was caught and had to have everyone come and rescue me?" Belle said bitterly. "None of this would have happened if it hadn't been for me."

"No." Thorin disagreed. "This would not have happened if my nephews had not put you up to it."

Thorin turned to glare at his nephews, who had been watching him and Belle with interest. When Thorin turned to glare at them, however, the twins quickly ran off to find something to do far away from Thorin. Belle giggled. Thorin turned back to her, surprised at how beautiful he thought her laugh to be. Thorin gave her a small smile.

"Once again, I'm sorry." Thorin said with a tiny bit of laughter in his voice and he left to go back to Gandalf. Belle was shocked. Never had she seen Thorin smile, of even be remotely amused. She would have never had thought he would have done so at her. Belle turned back to the pony, wondering why she felt so giddy._ I can't by attracted to him, can I?_ She thought. While Belle thought Thorin handsome, he had pretty much ignored her, making it obvious he didn't agree with her presence. The only time he had acknowledged her, or showed her any kindness was when he gave her the bedroll, but Belle thought he only did that because he sorry for her.

"They must have come down from the Ettenmoors." Gandalf said to Thorin once he returned, an amused tone to his voice and mischief in his eyes.

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" Thorin glared, at once back down to business.

"Oh, not for an age, not since a darker power ruled these lands." Gandalf recalled. He and Thorin exchanged looks. "They could not have moved in daylight."

"There must be a cave nearby." Thorin realized.

* * *

The Company eventually found a cave. An unholy stench rose out of the cave, smelling just like the trolls but more potent.

"Oh, what's that stench?" Nori gagged.

"It's a troll hoard." Gandalf told the group, unfazed. "Be careful what you touch."

Once inside the cave, several of the dwarves cough and retch. The cave is filled with gold and other treasures. Everything is covered in cobwebs and grime, the horrible smell stronger than before. There were many dirty bones and remains of clothes littering the floor.

"Seems a shame just to leave it lyin' around." Bofur said wistfully, looking at the gold. "Anyone could take it."

"Agreed. Nori, get a shovel." Gloin ordered Nori, who ran to get a shovel.

While looking around, Thorin saw two swords. They were different than any other weapon here, retaining a certain shine even covered in grime and cobwebs. Thorin grabbed both of the swords and turns to Gandalf.

"These swords were not made by any troll." He said, handing Gandalf one.

"Nor were they made by any smith among men." Gandalf drew the sword from its sheath, looking at the elegant design and writing on the blade. "These were forged in Gondolin by the High Elves of the First Age."

Thorin awed gaze of the sword turns to disgust. He starts to put the sword back into the hoard pile but Gandalf stops him. "You could not wish for a finer blade."

Reluctantly, Thorin does not put back the blade. Instead, he unsheathes it a few inches, taking in the elvish design and writing that is also on Gandalf's sword. Across the cave, several dwarves have finished filling a chest with gold and other treasures before placing it in a hole they have dung. Dwalin looks on in disgust.

"We're makin' a long term deposit." Gloin defended their actions as they finish covering up the treasure chest.

"Let's get out of this foul place." Thorin says, eager to leave. "Come on, let's go. Bofur! Gloin! Nori!"

Th dwarves all file out of the cave while Gandalf follows in last, until hi foot kicks something metallic. Using his staff to brush away the dirt and leaves, Gandalf finds another sword, this one smaller with the design simpler.

* * *

Belle had decided she would not join the Company inside the cave, preferring to try and wash up inside of exploring a stink filled troll cave. Her clothes still had dried troll snot covering them, a fact that made Belle feel like gagging. Luckily for her, she had brought an extra set of clothes. Changing out of the trousers, white buttoned shirt, and green vest she had deemed 'travel clothes', she put on the dress she had brought. Throwing it into her pack need been a split second decision, but now Belle was glad she did. Otherwise, she would be wearing clothes covered in troll snot until she had a chance to get new clothes, if she ever did. Belle shuddered at the thought.

The dress as of hobbit design, mainly slightly off-white color and long sleeved. The bodice was a light blue color. It was the thinnest dress Belle owned, so she thought it would be decent and easy to travel in.

She made her way towards a small pond that was near the troll cave. She bent down next to the pond and began washing the dirt and troll grim off her face. Belle had been determined the entire journey so far to not become as dirty and smelly as any of the dwarves.

Belle felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around to her feet, nearly falling into the pond. A pair of hands shot out and grabbed her own, pulling her forwards and steadying her. It was Thorin.

"it's unsafe to be out be yourself." He said, quickly letting go of her hands. "Try to stay within sights of someone at all times."

Belle could only nod. Thorin continues to stare at her for a moment longer, looking her up and down before turning to go prepare the ponies for travel. Belle made her way towards a rock close to the cave entrance but not close enough to smell troll. She sat down, left to ponder her own thoughts while waiting for the Company to be ready to leave.

* * *

Thorin did not understand. Ever since the trolls that morning, all Thorin could think about was Belle. The way she looked, the way she laughed and the way her eyes lit up when his nephews told her jokes and stories, everything. He had never before realized how beautiful she was before today; he almost hadn't been able to look away from the sight of her in that dress. It had been a long time since Thorin thought of any woman, the last time being before Erebor fell. Now he thought about the woman who was supposed to help him reclaim the city.

Before today, Thorin hadn't given Belle a kind thought. He had thought he a burden, wondering why Gandalf had chosen a hobbit woman of all people. Thorin thought the only use she would be was to cause trouble then require the dwarves to come save her. He had only given her the bedroll that night because he felt sorry for her, and it was Thorin's job to look after his Company. While he had been right about her at first, Belle needing to be rescued from the trolls and then the Company was tied up an nearly eaten, she had proven herself to be brave in the end.

Prehaps Gandalf was right. Maybe there was more to this woman then what Thorin had originally thought: just a weak woman who couldn't fight and burden who would have no use. Maybe underneath all of that timidness and confusion was a woman Thorin could respect.

* * *

"Belle."

"Hmm." Belle looked up from the rock she was sitting on, where she had been looking at the ground, thinking.

"Here. This is about your size." Gandalf says as he hands her a sword.

"I can't take this." She protests.

"The blade is of Elvish make which means it will glow blue when orcs or goblins are nearby." Gandalf told her, ignoring what she said.

"I have never used a sword in my life." Belle said quietly, giving Gandalf a look that said he should have known this.

"And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this: true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one." Gandalf said, then leaving Belle to ponder his wise words.

"Something's coming!" Thorin yelled from somewhere.

"Gandalf-" Belle starts.

"Stay together!" He orders. "Hurry now. Arm yourselves."

Belle slowly draws the sword, noting with relief that it was not glowing blue like Gandalf said it would when orcs or goblins were near. She then turns and follows the others into the woods.

* * *

Sorry for any typos, words left out, or misspells. :)


	6. Wargs

Disclaimer: I don't own The Hobbit or anything related so don't sue me. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, followed, etc.

Also, I took some advice and I did a little editing of chapters 1-3. I tried to make Belle come of as a little more feminine (although Bilbo was already kinda feminine) so I added a couple sentences to chapter 1 and about a paragraph or two to chapter 3. Most change was in chapter 2. Didn't see any reason to edit chapter 4.

bethy88, I'm pretty positive I made it very clear I didn't want you reading this. I'm gonna fling Fletcher's dead cat guts and juice on you now.

Sorry for any typos, words left out, etc. I write this from my phone (I don't have Internet connected to my house) and autocorrect is more of a bitch on this site than any other for some reason. I don't understand.

No flames.

* * *

"She could hear the rattle of hooves on stone evolve into a thunder of pursuit."  
― Cinda Williams Chima, The Gray Wolf Throne

* * *

Once caught up with the Company, Belle saw the strangest sight she had ever seen. A short man dressed in ragged clothes and covered in dirt. He had a long beard and hair, with white bird feces down the side of his face. He drove a dingy, twig sled drawn by rabbits.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" He yelled in panic as he pulled up in his sled.

"Radagast!" Gandalf greeted. "Radagast the Brown. Ah. What on earth are you doing here?"

Belle remembered the name 'Radagast' from several days ago when she asked Gandalf if there were any more wizards in Middle-Earth. Gandalf also said Radagast was strange.

"I was looking for you, Gandalf." Radagast seemed to be very twitchy and paranoid. "Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong."

"Yes?" Gandalf encouraged. Radagast opens his mouth, but then shuts it. He opens his mouth again, and closes it again, a frown appearing on his face. Radagast seems to have forgotten what to say.

"Oh, just give me a minute." Radagast looks confused. "Um, oh, I had a thought, and now I've lost it. It was, it was right there, on the tip of my tongue."

Radagast curled up his tongue, and then looks surprised.

"Oh, it's not a thought at all; it's a silly old..." Gandalf reaches in an pulls out an insect out of Radagast's mouth.

"-stick insect!" Radagast finishes, looking pleased.

The dwarves and Belle all look confused and flustered. Radagast and Gandalf go off a few paces to speak privately.

"The Greenwood is sick, Gandalf." Radagast says, suddenly serious. "A darkness has fallen over it. Nothing grows any more, at least nothing good. The air is foul with decay. But worst are the webs."

"Webs?" Gandalf frowns. "What do you mean?"

"Spiders, Gandalf. Giant ones. Some kind of spawn of Ungoliant, or I am not a Wizard. I followed their trail. They came from Dol Guldur."

"Dol Guldur?" A haunted look come over Gandalf. "But the old fortress is abandoned."

"No, Gandalf, it is not."

_Radagast crosses a stone bridge and enters a dark, ruined fortress, his staff at the ready.  
_

"A dark power dwells there, such as I have never felt before. It is the shadow of an ancient horror."

_As Radagast walks through the seemingly abandoned fortress, a statue behind him slowly clenches its fingers around the hilt of its sword._

"One that can summon the spirits of the dead."

_The spirit of a king, attacks Radagast, but he fends it off with his staff. As the spirit disappears with a screech, it drops its blade._

"I saw him, Gandalf. From out of the darkness, a Necromancer has come."

_Radagast sees a black shadow take the form of a man, and it whispers a dark-sounding speech. Radagast flees from the castle, pursued by bats. He calls to his rabbits, which are waiting with the sled._

_"Quick! Quickly! Run! Wait for me!"_

_The rabbits start running, and Radagast has to run hard to catch up with and jump onto his sled. He races through the forest with the bats behind him, dodging tree trunks and hitting the bats with his staff._

"I'm sorry." Radagast said, as he woke up from a dream-like trance, in which he had been reliving this memory.

"Try a bit of Old Toby. It'll help settle your nerves." Gandalf cleans off the pipe end with his beard and offers it to Radagast, who breathes the smoke it.

"And out." Gandalf commands. Radagast breathes out with a sigh, crossed eyes, and a blissful look on his face. He stays in this trance for several moments.

"Now, a Necromancer. Are you sure?" Gandalf says, breaking Radagast out of his trance. He pulls out a cloth-wrapped package and hands it to Gandalf, who untied it and, upon seeing its contents, looks very concerned.

"That is not from the world of the living."

Suddenly, a howl is heard in the distance. Belle, who was conversing with Fili and Kili, jumps to her feet in alarm.

"Was that a wolf?" Belle asked, her eyes wide with fear. "Are there-are there wolves out there?"

Both Kili and Fili laughed, then threw their arms over her shoulders, one dwarf on each side.

"Don't worry, Ms. Baggins. We shall protect you from any wolf." Kili declared. He and his brother laughed loudly, while Belle blushed at her foolishness before grinning.

"Wolves?" Bofur scoffed, suddenly on guard. "No, that is not a wolf."

From behind a nearby crag, a Warg appears; it leaps into the midst of the Company, knocking down one of the dwarves. Thorin strikes and kills it using Orcrist. Another Warg attacks from the other side; Kili shoots it with an arrow, bringing it down. However, it gets back up, only to be killed by Dwalin.

"Warg-Scouts!" Thorin shouted. "Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."

"Orc pack?" Belle questions, suddenly terrified and hoping Thorin had said something other than 'orc pack'.

"Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?" Gandalf demanded of Thorin.

"No one." Thorin answered.

"Who did you tell?" Gandalf said louder.

"No one, I swear." Thorin answered, just as loud. "What in Durin's name is going on?"

"You are being hunted."

"We have to get out of here." Dwalin said.

"We can't! We have no ponies; they bolted." Ori cried, running up from where the ponies had been put.

"I'll draw them off." Radagast said.

"These are Gundabad Wargs; they will outrun you." Gandalf tried to rationalized.

"These are Rhosgobel Rabbits;" Radagast declared with pride. "I'd like to see them try."

* * *

"Come and get me! Ha ha!" Radagast shouted as he shot out from behind a very large boulder, drawing the attention of Yazneg and his orc pack and Wargs. Gandalf watches from behind a rock as Radagast and the Wargs disappear in the distance.

"Come on!" Gandalf ordered quietly. The Company rush across the rocky plain while Radagast distracted the orcs and Wargs. The Company hid behind rocks when they spot the Wargs not too far from them. Belle had never felt so terrified; she would take trolls over orcs and Wargs any day of the week.

"Stay together." Gandalf said urgently.

"Move!" Thorin snarled at the Company, and they turn a different direction to run. As the chase continues, Thorin stops the company behind another set of rocks so they are not seen by the Wargs. Ori, however, tries to continue to run.

"Ori, no! Come back!" Thorin says as he grabs Ori and pulls him back.

"Come in! Quick!" Gandalf orders as he leads the Company in yet another direction.

"Where are you leading us?" Thorin asks, but Gandalf doesn't answer.

As the Warg scouts chase Radagast, one of them stops and sniffs the air. The dwarves take cover behind an outcropping of rock. Belle takes the moment to try and breathe. Most of the journey so far had been spent on the back of a pony. She wasn't used to running so far and fast. Plus, she was having a hard time keeping up, seeing as her hobbit legs were much shorter than any of the dwarves'. Belle hoped they wouldn't have to run much longer; she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep up.

The scout and his Warg appear on top of the outcropping, smelling the air. Thorin looked at Kili and nods; readying an arrow, Kili quickly steps out and shoots the Warg. The Warg and the orc on it fall near the dwarves, Belle jumping back out of the way while the dwarves kill them. The sounds of their fight carry quite far; the other Wargs and Orcs stop chasing Radagast as they hear roars and screams from behind the rocks.

"The Dwarf-scum are over there! After them!" Yazneg screamed as the Warg-scouts howl and end their chase of Radagast to begin the chase of the Company.

"Move. Run!" Gandalf yelled. Once again the Company runs, this time exiting the rocky hills and coming into a grassy plain. The Wargs begin closing in.

"There they are!" Gloin yelled in panic.

"This way! Quickly!" Gandalf yelled, leading the way.

Belle felt nothing but pure terror. She was beginning to fall behind, even behind Bombur, the fattest and slowest of them. She could see the Wargs closing in, and couldn't help but imagining the Wargs giant mouths and razor teeth closing in around her. But that's not what happened.

Belle felt a pain like she had never felt pierce her calf. She screamed as her leg gave way underneath her. She hit the ground hard, her hands taking the worst of it. Belle turned to look at her leg, almost passing out from the shock of seeing a dirty, crudely made arrow sticking out. Tears sprang to her eyes, not from just the pain in her leg, but knowing that this was very well the end. She would never see the Shire again, never drink from the Green Dragon Inn, never again see Bag End.

But then Belle felt a pair of hands on her, forcing her to stand. Thorin yanked her arm over his shoulder and put his arm around her waist, letting her lean on him.

"There's more coming!" Kili shouted from up ahead.

"Kili! Shoot them!" Thorin roared from Belle's side before speaking quietly to Belle. "Come on, Ms. Belle. I won't let you die."

Thorin half dragged, half carried Belle towards the Company, who thankfully had stopped near a pile of rocks not far from where Belle fell. Belle kept trying to run but her bad leg kept giving out, as the arrow was buried deep in the leg muscle and made it too painful to walk on. With not a moment to lose, they joined the Company.

"We're surrounded!" Fili shouts as Thorin set Belle on the ground up against a large rock. Thorin knelt on the ground in front for her, taking hold of the arrow that had pinned Belle's once pretty dress to her leg. Belle whimpered, realizing that he was about to do something she wouldn't like.

"I'm sorry." Thorin said quietly, although loud enough to be heard over the howls, battlecries, and roars of the Warg-scouts and the dwarves. Thorin knew that while it would be a bad idea to take the entire arrow out in the middle of battle, it was a good idea to at least break the arrow down close to the leg; it wouldn't do to try and escape or fight with the entire length of an arrow sticking out.

"Where is Gandalf?" Fili asked, looking around for the wizard who seemed to have disappeared.

"He has abandoned us!" Dwalin shouted, his voice full of bitterness. The dwarves began closing ranks around Belle and Thorin, Belle who is now beginning to feel faint; she's not sure if its because they are surrounded by Warg-scouts, what Thorin was about to do, or because blood was quickly soaking into her dress. It was probably all three.

Without giving Belle a chance to protest, Thorin used one hand to brace Belle's leg to keep it from moving and used the other hand to quickly snap the arrow, so now only a few inches of arrow stuck out of Belle. Belle gave a little squeal of pain, a fresh gush of blood and tears pooring out of her. Thorin didn't have time to do anything more for her though.

"Hold your ground!" Thorin yelled, throwing the broken arrow to the ground and drawing his weapon, prepared for the attack. He cast a worried glance towards Belle, as he is unsure whether or not they can protect her in her condition.

"This way, you fools!" Gandalf calls irritably, appearing from a hole behind a rock.

"Come on, move!" Thorin urged his Company. "Quickly, all of you! Go, go, go!"

As the Wargs quickly approach, the dwarves one by one jump into the whole and slid down into a cave. Thorin kills a Warg that gets too close while Kili shoots another.

"Nine, ten." Gandalf counts as the dwarves slid down into the cave.

"Kili! Run!" Thorin yelled at his nephew. While Kili runs towards the hole, Thorin yanks Belle to her feet. Belle gasped in pain. Thorin practically threw himself and Belle down into the cave, only just escaping Yazneg and his Wargs.

Thorin and Belle roll to the cave floor. Belle let out a cry of pain when the arrow stub hit the cave floor, driving the arrow just a tiny bit further into her. She felt warm liquid as a fresh bit of blood gushed out. She still had tears running down her face, as the worst pain she had ever felt was when she had burnt a good portion of her hand on her stove. Unfortunately, that was nothing compared to the pain of a crudely made orc arrow lodged deeply into leg muscle.

When they both landed, however, Belle and Thorin landed in the most awkward of positions during the worst possible time. Thorin landed in his back while Belle landed on top of him. For just a moment, the pain of her leg was forgotten as Belle stared into Thorin's face. Thorin in turn stared at Belle, feeling his heart slightly break at the sight of her pretty, dirt-streaked, tear-stained face. Now he felt guilty that he had not been able to protect her from the pain she should not have to bear. Thorin told himself that he would feel that way for any member of his Company. Thorin had a hard time believing his own lie.

The moment was shattered when a horn sounded. The sound of horses and battle cries mixed with the roar of the Wargs and the orcs dying screams reached the Company. Thorin gently rolled Belle off of him, picking her up with him as he stood. Just in time too, as just a moment later, the body of an orc fell down and landed right where Belle and Thorin had lain.

Thorin handed Belle over to Kili to lean on before turning towards the orc. He bent down and yanked out the arrow that had been embedded in the orc's neck.

"Elves." Thorin said in disgust as he took in the arrow's fine make and elegant design. The sound of horses fade into the distance.

"I cannot see where the pathway leads." Dwalin called from the back of the group, walking a bit down the pathway at the back of cave. "Do we follow it or no?"

"Follow it, of course!" Bofur said enthusiastically before taking lead down the pathway before Thorin could say otherwise.

"I think that would be wise." Gandalf looked at Thorin, who was looking at Belle. He decided she would be fine to lean on Kili, whom he knew would take good care of the hobbit. He couldn't shake the irritation of not being the one to help her though.

The Company begins following the path. Belle had a hard time, even though she was leaning on Kili. The ground is rocky and full of holes. It is quite narrow, and it is a crack between two tall cliffs. At times, the dwarves also have difficulty going through. The pathway eventually opens out into an open area; there is a valley below, and in that valley is a beautiful city.

"The Valley of Imraldis." Gandalf announced. "In the Common Tongue, it's known by a another name."

"Rivendell." Belle breathed, pain still dulling her eyes. Gandalf speaks again.

"Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea."


End file.
